MANKATO, Minn. -- From perennial winners to full-on rebuilders, the NFL was rife with one-year player contracts this offseason as teams deferred to salary-cap restrictions under the new collective bargaining agreement.

The Vikings parachuted into this rental property market with both feet, relying on not just roster fillers -- but possibly several starters -- to join the team for training camp on a 12-month lease.

Starting wide receiver? Jerome Simpson, who is under a one-year deal worth up to $2 million as he navigates his reclamation from an offseason drug charge.

Starting linebacker? Erin Henderson, who's playing under a so-called "prove-it" contract despite becoming one of the Vikings' brightest young defensive players a year ago.

Third cornerback? That might be Chris Carr, a seven-year veteran going on the second one-year deal of his career.

Of the Vikings' 15 free-agent signings with 2012 base salaries of more than $500,000, 11 are under one-year contracts.

Teams can transfer the risk to the player, provide limited guarantees and get a potential breakout player on the cheap. If the player doesn't pan out, the Vikings aren't strapped with "dead money."

But general manager Rick Spielman considers the one-year deal more of a meet-and-greet -- and the chance for something more once both sides get to know each other.

"We don't look at them as one-year rentals," Spielman said.

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"I told them all specifically, 'This is what the situation is, this is what your market is, you come in here and hopefully this turns into long-term investment for us.' "

Age, injuries, declining skills, inflated self-market value or bad timing can contribute to players missing out on a long-term deal.

The Vikings secured all four of their multiyear deals in the first four days of free agency, including three in-house players (LeTroy Guion, Fred Evans, Sage Rosenfels) and tight end John Carlson for five years, $25 million.

The Minnesota Vikings' Jerome Simpson makes a catch while covered by fellow Viking Chris Carr during practice in front of fans August 3, 2012, at Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minn. (Pioneer Press: Sherri LaRose-Chiglo)

These players missed the first wave of free agency, but Carr doesn't have a problem with that. Cut by Baltimore after missing seven games because of a hamstring injury, Carr knew free agency wouldn't be the same for him.

But he relishes the opportunity to create a larger market in 2013 should he flourish in Minnesota.

"There's pressure because you have to play well and you can't really get injured," said Carr, who's set to make $825,000 in base salary. "But it's a risk-reward, because if you play well, you get to re-sign some place, and it's stable that way."

Simpson is the Vikings' most unique one-year case study. His talent on the Vikings' training camp fields is apparent, connecting with quarterback Christian Ponder on everything from quick out routes to 50-yard go routes.

But despite a career-high 50 catches for 725 yards in Cincinnati last season, Simpson's guilty plea to a felony drug charge after two pounds of marijuana were shipped to his Kentucky home dampened his value on the open market.

Without the marijuana charge, Simpson believes he "most definitely" would be sitting on a long-term deal somewhere.

"It's kind of like a prove-it deal," said Simpson about his current deal. "If I can just prove it, then I can probably get what I'm worth. But if you put yourself in this situation, you have to deal with it. And I'm always motivated by playing football before anything else."

That's the kind of answer the Vikings might like to hear. The Vikings want players who love the game and aren't eyeing the next contract, Spielman said. In Simpson's case, Spielman sensed Simpson wanted to be a Viking, which helped in the negotiation process.

In some cases, players realize their value is less than they feel they deserve, which Spielman says can complicate negotiations.

A one-year deal can be a compromise.

"With the salary cap and the new CBA, I do believe guys' expectations are higher than what the market will show at times," Spielman said.

Vikings linebacker Erin Henderson takes a breather during workouts at an organized team activities session at Winter Park in Eden Prairie on Wednesday May 30, 2012. (Pioneer Press: Richard Marshall)

"It' not like (in 2010) when we were in an uncapped year in the old CBA. So sometimes guys that didn't get the money they thought they would get in the open market, they'll come back and will want to do a shorter-term deal and maybe take a shot at it again next year."

Some players prefer not to address the nature of their contract. When asked in May about his one-year deal worth up to $2 million, Henderson declined comment and said he's happy to be a Viking.

The scarcity of big contracts for linebackers this offseason could have affected Henderson's value.

The danger for veterans is falling into the one-year trap, when the multi-year deal becomes a memory and a player bounces from team to team every training camp.

Carr is aware of that trend, but then again, he's thankful to play in the NFL every year.

Without a discernible NFL skill -- which, in Carr's case, is the flexibility to cover in the slot or on the outside for the Vikings -- a player doesn't stand a chance after his rookie deal expires.

"Your first couple of years, you can get injured or not really play that well or be so-so and they can just spin it on, 'Oh, he's young, he's learning still,' " Carr said. "Once you get past year three, especially if you're on a one-year contract, you have to be healthy and you have to show you can play, or it's not going to go well for you.

"You can argue whether you think it's right or wrong, but it's a moot point," Carr said. "You just have to accept it."

The players interviewed for this story agree: When you take the field, money is secondary. Play well, the contract will take care of itself.

Then, when a player's back on the negotiating table, he can maximize his value -- possibly for more than one year.

"You should be overconfident in yourself when it comes to your value," said Aromashodu, who's on his second one-year deal in as many years. "If you're not confident in yourself, then who else is going to be confident in you?"